Health Benefits of Juicing Raw Cannabis Leaves

As more people look towards ways to naturally take care of their health, juicing has become a popular way to get a powerful punch of the nutrients the body needs. Juicing can literally revolutionize your health. So can cannabis.

What happens when you combine the two? Juicing raw cannabis leaves takes your standard pressed vegetable juice to an entirely new level.

The increasing acceptance and legalization of cannabis has led to countless studies on the medicinal benefits the plant contains. According to the opinion of one holistic health care professional, “Cannabis may not only be the best medicine, but also the most nutritious plant known to humankind thus far.”

Cannabis: The New Superfood

Hemp has been used throughout history, not only as fuel and fiber, but for the nutritional value contained in its precious seeds. While hemp and cannabis are the same species of plant, most of the nutritional research conducted has been on hemp, not psychoactive cannabis.

When looking at the nutritional profile of hemp (which is outstanding), its typically assumed that cannabis contains the same nutrient-dense makeup. Because of the powerhouse of nutrients found in hemp, many are referring to cannabis as the “new superfood.” Just like spinach and kale, cannabis is packed full of the nutrients your body needs.

Essential Fatty Acids

Protein

Vitamins and Minerals

Juicing Raw Cannabis Leaves

Dr. William Courtney is a dietary raw cannabis specialist and founder of the Origins of Cannabis International Foundation. He has been immersed in the experiences of thousands of patients who use raw cannabis daily. According to Courtney, “you are actually walking away from 99 percent of the benefits cannabis provides when you cook or smoke cannabis.”

In its raw form, cannabis contains the cannabinoids THCA and CBDA, both of which are full of therapeutic benefits. In order to covert into THC and CBD, both must go through the process of decarboxylation. Only when you decarboxylate THCA do you experience the “high” associated with THC.

“If you don’t heat marijuana,” says Courtney, “you can go up to five or six hundred milligrams and use the plant strictly as a dietary supplement by upping the antioxidant and neuroprotective levels which come into play at hundreds of milligrams of CBDA and THCA.”

The Health Benefits of Juicing Raw Cannabis

Courtney has found several benefits associated with juicing raw cannabis leaves as opposed to smoking or vaping cannabis flower or extracts. These include:

A higher level of therapeutic benefits achieved through this method of consumption.

Antioxidants are released from the activation of the endocannabinoid system after ingesting raw cannabis. These antioxidants flush damaged cells from an individual’s system.

Ingesting raw cannabis improves the efficiency of cells in the body.

Cannabis Juice Can’t Get You High

For those who don’t enjoy the psychoactive effects of cannabis, juicing it raw is an excellent alternative. Raw cannabis leaves and/or flowers can be juiced, added to smoothies, tossed with salads.

Because raw cannabis does not contain any psychoactive properties, it is an excellent option for anyone looking to kick-start their health or maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A note: If you’re considering adding cannabis to your fresh vegetable juices, you’ll need quite a few fan leaves to do so. Juicing 20 raw cannabis leaves will produce just 2-3 tablespoons of juice. If you aren’t growing your own, it’s helpful to know someone who is. It’s also best to cut your cannabis juice with a carrier juice (such as carrot) to cut down on the bitterness.

Jen Keehn is a Colorado-based writer intent on inspiring others to live their best lives. She writes regularly about medical and recreational cannabis, holistic health, addiction, and psychedelic therapy.